Battery pack and wireless telephone apparatus

ABSTRACT

Even though battery packs are removed abruptly from portable electronic apparatuses with their semiconductor memories contained therein before power switches are turned off, data stored in the semiconductor memories are protected. There is provided a portable telephone apparatus including a portable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto, wherein the battery pack including a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit and components in the battery pack with electric power, an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted, and a memory controller for controlling the operation of reading data stored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the opening in accordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit, and wherein the portable telephone unit including means for reproducing the data read out from the semiconductor memory.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack for supplying anelectronic apparatus with electric power, and a wireless telephone setwhich is supplied with electric power by the battery pack mountedthereto.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Portable electronic apparatuses, such as a wireless telephoneset, a personal digital assistance (PDA) and a digital still camera,have a battery pack mounted thereto, and those portable electronicapparatuses are supplied with electric power by the battery pack.Recently, such portable electronic apparatuses have a removable IC cardor memory card having at least semiconductor memories to store characterdata, image data and audio data.

[0005] When the battery packs are removed abruptly from the portableelectronic apparatuses with their IC cards contained therein beforepower switches are turned off, data stored in the semiconductor memoriesof the IC cards are sometimes broken or lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcomethe above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a battery pack for supplyingan electronic apparatus with electric power which can protect datastored in the semiconductor memories of the IC card, and a wirelesstelephone set which is supplied with electric power by the battery pack.

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a portabletelephone apparatus including a portable telephone unit and a batterypack mounted thereto, wherein the battery pack including:

[0008] a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit andcomponents in the battery pack with electric power;

[0009] an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removablyinserted; and

[0010] a memory controller for controlling the operation of reading datastored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the opening inaccordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit,

[0011] and wherein the portable telephone unit including:

[0012] means for reproducing the data read out from the semiconductormemory.

[0013] According to the present invention, there is provided a batterypack for supplying a portable telephone unit of a portable telephoneapparatus with electric power, which is mounted to the portabletelephone unit, the battery pack including:

[0014] a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit andcomponents in the battery pack with electric power;

[0015] an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removablyinserted;

[0016] a memory controller for controlling the operation of readingaudio data stored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the openingin accordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit;and

[0017] means for reproducing the audio data read out from thesemiconductor memory.

[0018] According to the present invention, since the battery pack hasthe semiconductor memory, the battery pack and the wireless telephoneset can protect data stored in the semiconductor memory.

[0019] Still more, since the battery pack includes a music playbackdevice, the portable telephone unit becomes independent of thecompression standards, such as the MPEG 3, ATRAC, etc., which makes theportable telephone unit compatible with various standards.

[0020] Furthermore, since the battery pack includes the music playbackdevice, codes peculiar to the wireless telephone set used for managingcopyrights and securities can be separated easily. Thus, the codes donot have to be copied, and the codes are not undesirably read out tooutside.

[0021] Furthermore, since the battery pack includes the music playbackdevice, the wireless telephone set itself can be reduced in size.

[0022] These objects and other objects, features and advantages of thepresent intention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments of the present invention whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023]FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of thewireless telephone set according to the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a portable telephone unit and abattery pack mounted thereto of the first embodiment of the wirelesstelephone set.

[0025]FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the battery pack and asemiconductor memory contained therein of the first embodiment of thewireless telephone set.

[0026]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the portable telephone unit andbattery pack mounted thereto of the first embodiment of the wirelesstelephone set.

[0027]FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of thewireless telephone set according to the present invention.

[0028]FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a portable telephone unit and abattery pack mounted thereto of the second embodiment of the wirelesstelephone set.

[0029]FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the battery pack and asemiconductor memory contained therein of the second embodiment of thewireless telephone set.

[0030]FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the portable telephone unit andbattery pack mounted thereto of the second embodiment of the wirelesstelephone set.

[0031]FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a third embodiment of thewireless telephone set according to the present invention.

[0032]FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the wireless telephone set and acar stereo which receives a radio signal of music therefrom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Preferred embodiments according to the present invention willfurther be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the wireless telephoneset according to the present invention. As schematically shown in FIG.1, the wireless telephone set includes a portable telephone unit 1 and abattery pack 2. The battery pack 2 supplies the portable telephone unit1 with electric power, and has a removable IC card having semiconductormemories 3 contained therein. The removable IC card having semiconductormemories 3 will be refereed to the semiconductor memory 3 hereinafter.

[0035] The portable telephone unit 1 includes a music playback device toreproduce an audio signal which has a memory, an amplifier and a DSP.Having the semiconductor memory 3 contained therein, the battery pack 2provides the music playback device with audio data Da stored in thesemiconductor memory 3 in accordance with a control signal CNT from theportable telephone unit 1.

[0036] The portable telephone unit 1 further includes a connector toreceive data from the semiconductor memory 3, a jack for a head receiver4 adapted for listening to music reproduced by the music playbackdevice, and an input operation unit such as keys or a numeric keypad.

[0037] When the control signal CNT generated based on a reproductionoperation of the input operation unit of the portable telephone unit 1is sent to the battery pack 2 via the connector, the audio data Dastored in the semiconductor memory 3 is read out and sent to the musicplayback device. The audio data Da is stored in the memory of the musicplayback device, and is reproduced from the memory.

[0038]FIG. 2 shows the wireless telephone set with its battery pack 2mounted to the portable telephone unit 1. The semiconductor memory 3will be inserted to the battery pack 2 from an opening 5. The portabletelephone unit 1 further includes a jack 6 for the head receiver 4 and ajog dial 7 to register telephone numbers and retrieve a telephone numberfrom registered telephone numbers. The portable telephone unit 1 furtherincludes a cover 8, and the portable telephone unit 1 is of the foldingstructure. The cover 8 in the folded state is unfolded when using theportable telephone unit 1.

[0039]FIG. 3 shows the battery pack 2 with the semiconductor memory 3contained therein. The battery pack 2 has a secondary battery 9contained therein.

[0040]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the wireless telephone set withits battery pack 2 mounted to the portable telephone unit 1. Theportable telephone unit 1 includes a CPU 11, a digital signal processor(DSP) 10 to reproduce an audio signal, an audio device 14, a ROM 12, aRAM 13, an input device 15, a display device 16 and a telephone block19. The DSP 10 is connected to the CPU 11. The audio device 14 has anamplifier, speaker, head receiver jack, etc., and is connected to theDSP 10. The ROM 12, RAM 13, input device 15, display device 16 andtelephone block 19 are connected to the CPU 11. On the other hand, thebattery pack 2 includes a memory controller 17 to control the operationof reading/writing data from/to the semiconductor memory 3.

[0041] The CPU 11 of the portable telephone unit 1 performs a series ofcontrol programs stored in the ROM 12 in accordance with key operationby the user using the input device 15 to generate the control signalCNT, and sends the control signal CNT to the memory controller 17 of thebattery pack 2 via a connector 18. The memory controller 17 of thebattery pack 2 reads the audio data Da from the semiconductor memory 3in accordance with the control signal CNT, and sends the audio data Dato the CPU 11 via the connector 18. The CPU 11 stores the audio data Dain the RAM 13, and the DSP 10 processes the audio data Da and outputs anaudio signal to the audio device 14, and the audio device 14 amplifiesthe audio signal and outputs an audio sound. The display device 16displays information according to key operation using the input device15, and also displays music titles, the time, etc.

[0042] The telephone block 19 has a reception system and a transmissionsystem. First, the reception system will be explained. An RF signal isreceived by an antenna, and the received RF signal is sent to areception unit. At the reception unit, the RF signal is down-converted,filtered and demodulated by a local oscillating signal from a localoscillator to generate a baseband signal. The reproduced baseband signalfrom the reception unit is sent to a speech processing unit, and aprocessed signal is sent to a speaker. Next, the transmission systemwill be explained. A speech signal from a microphone is sent to atransmission unit via the speech processing unit. At the transmissionunit, the speech signal is modulated and up-converted to generate atransmitting RF signal. The transmitting RF signal is sent to theantenna and transmitted. The speech processing unit and speaker can beshared with those of the audio device 14.

[0043] The portable telephone unit 1 is supplied with electric power bythe secondary battery 9 of the battery pack 2 having the semiconductormemory 3 contained therein. Accordingly, even though the battery pack 2is removed from the portable telephone unit 1, the semiconductor memory3 is kept supplied with electric power by the secondary battery 9. Thus,the data recorded in the semiconductor memory 3 is not broken or lost.Furthermore, even though a semiconductor memory of another shape or ofanother standard is used, or even though the shape or standard of thesemiconductor memory 3 is modified, the wireless telephone set can beused by replacing the battery pack 2 to another one capable ofcontaining a desired semiconductor memory, which does not have to changethe portable telephone unit 1.

[0044] FIGS. 5 to 8 show a second embodiment of the wireless telephoneset according to the present invention. As schematically shown in FIG.5, the wireless telephone set includes a portable telephone unit 21 anda battery pack 22. The battery pack 22 supplies the portable telephoneunit 21 with electric power, and has the removable semiconductor memory3 contained therein.

[0045] The portable telephone unit 21, being different from the portabletelephone unit 1, does not include the music playback device toreproduce an audio signal, such as the memory, amplifier or DSP.Instead, the battery pack 22 includes a reproducing device 23 whichworks as the music playback device. The battery pack 22 further includesa jack for the head receiver 4.

[0046]FIG. 6 shows the wireless telephone set with its battery pack 22mounted to the portable telephone unit 21. The semiconductor memory 3also will be inserted to the battery pack 22 from an opening 24. Thebattery pack 22 includes a jack 25 for the head receiver 4. The portabletelephone unit 21 includes a jog dial 26 to register telephone numbersand retrieve a telephone number from registered telephone numbers. Theportable telephone unit 21 further includes a cover 27, and an inputoperation unit such as keys or a numeric keypad is protected by thecover 27.

[0047]FIG. 7 shows the battery pack 22 with the semiconductor memory 3contained therein. The battery pack 22 has a secondary battery 28contained therein.

[0048]FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the wireless telephone set withits battery pack 22 mounted to the portable telephone unit 21. Theportable telephone unit 21 includes a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, aninput device 35, a display device 36 and a telephone block 37. The ROM32, RAM 33, input device 35, display device 36 and telephone block 37are connected to the CPU 31. On the other hand, the battery pack 22includes an audio device 38, a memory controller 45 to control theoperation of reading/writing data from/to the semiconductor memory 3, aCPU 41, a ROM 42, a RAM 43 and a digital signal processor (DSP) 44 toreproduce an audio signal. The audio device 38 has an amplifier,speaker, head receiver jack, etc., and is connected to the DSP 44. Thememory controller 45, ROM 42, RAM 43 and DSP 44 are connected to the CPU41.

[0049] The CPU 31 of the portable telephone unit 21 performs a series ofcontrol programs stored in the ROM 32 in accordance with key operationby the user using the input device 35 to generate the control signalCNT, and sends the control signal CNT to the CPU 41 of the battery pack22 via a connector 39. The CPU 41 sends the control signal CNT to thememory controller 45. The memory controller 45 of the battery pack 22reads the audio data Da from the semiconductor memory 3 in accordancewith the control signal CNT, and sends the audio data Da to the CPU 41.The CPU 41 stores the audio data Da in the RAM 43, and the DSP 44processes the audio data Da and outputs an audio signal to the audiodevice 38, and the audio device 38 amplifies the audio signal andoutputs an audio sound. The display device 36 of the portable telephoneunit 21 displays information according to key operation using the inputdevice 35, and also displays music titles, the time, etc. The telephoneblock 37 of the portable telephone unit 21 has a reception system,transmission system, controller, antenna, etc.

[0050] The portable telephone unit 21 is supplied with electric power bythe secondary battery 28 of the battery pack 22 having the semiconductormemory 3 contained therein. Accordingly, even though the battery pack 22is removed from the portable telephone unit 21, the semiconductor memory3 is kept supplied with electric power by the secondary battery 28.Thus, the data recorded in the semiconductor memory 3 is not broken orlost.

[0051] Still more, since the battery pack 22 includes the reproducingdevice 23, the portable telephone unit 21 becomes independent of thecompression standards, such as the MPEG 3, ATRAC, etc., which makes theportable telephone unit 21 compatible with various standards.

[0052] Conventionally, music playback device manages copyrights andsecurities by the use of plural codes stored in a music playback block.So, when the wireless telephone set is out of order, or the wirelesstelephone set itself is changed, the codes peculiar to the wirelesstelephone set have to be copied. At this time, there occurs apossibility that the codes are undesirably read out to outside. Thus,the management system for preventing the copying has to be built. On theother hand, since the portable telephone unit 21 can be separated fromthe battery pack 22 including the music playback block, thecopy-preventing management system does not have to be built.

[0053] Furthermore, conventionally, in case the battery pack is sharedwith a model which does not reproduce an audio signal, the wirelesstelephone set can hardly be reduced in size since the space for themusic playback block is an extra space. On the other hand, since thebattery pack 22 includes the music playback block, the wirelesstelephone set can be reduced in size.

[0054] When a delivery notice information is included in the controlsignal CNT generated by the CPU 31, the user can know the deliverynotice while listening to music.

[0055] FIGS. 9 shows a third embodiment of the wireless telephone setaccording to the present invention. As schematically shown in FIG. 9,the wireless telephone set includes a portable telephone unit 51 and abattery pack 53. The battery pack 53 supplies the portable telephoneunit 51 with electric power, and has the removable semiconductor memory3 contained therein.

[0056] The portable telephone unit 51 includes a radio communicationunit 52, and the battery pack 53 includes a radio communication device55. So, the portable telephone unit 51 can transmit a radio signal ofthe control signal CNT, and the battery pack 53 can receive the radiosignal. The battery pack 53 further includes a reproducing device 54.So, the battery pack 53 can transmit a radio signal of the audio data Dareproduced from the semiconductor memory 3 to the portable telephoneunit 51.

[0057] In case the radio communication unit 52 of the portable telephoneunit 51 can receive only a weak radio signal transmitted from adjacentapparatuses, the portable telephone unit 51 can be accessible to pluralbattery packs. So, the portable telephone unit 51 can freely choose andreproduce an audio signal without changing the semiconductor memory 3 ofthe battery pack 53 by the key operation of the portable telephone unit51 when the user carries plural battery packs including plural musicplayback blocks.

[0058] Still more, having a battery contained therein, the portabletelephone unit 51 can transmit a reproduction request signal to a nearbyreproducing apparatus capable of transmitting/receiving a radio signalwhich is other than the portable telephone unit 51. FIG. 10 shows a carstereo 60 or a navigator having a radio communication device 61 mountedthereto, and loud speakers 62. The radio signal of music to which theuser is listening by means of the portable telephone unit 51 istransmitted to the car stereo 60, and the music is output from the loudspeakers 62.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable telephone apparatus comprising aportable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto, wherein thebattery pack comprising: a battery for supplying the portable telephoneunit and components in the battery pack with electric power; an openingfrom which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted; and a memorycontroller for controlling the operation of reading data stored in thesemiconductor memory inserted from the opening in accordance with acontrol signal from the portable telephone unit, and wherein theportable telephone unit comprising: means for reproducing the data readout from the semiconductor memory.
 2. The portable telephone apparatusas set forth in claim 1 , wherein the data read out from thesemiconductor memory is audio data, and the reproducing means of theportable telephone unit outputs an audio sound.
 3. A battery pack forsupplying a portable telephone unit of a portable telephone apparatuswith electric power, which is mounted to the portable telephone unit,the battery pack comprising: a battery for supplying the portabletelephone unit and components in the battery pack with electric power;an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted; amemory controller for controlling the operation of reading audio datastored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the opening inaccordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit; andmeans for reproducing the audio data read out from the semiconductormemory.
 4. The battery pack as set forth in claim 3 , wherein thebattery pack further comprise an earphone jack for outputting the audiodata reproduced by the reproducing means.